Re: What do you guys think of STCs new definition for technicalwriter?

[Ned Bedinger <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>]

Edwin Skau wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 5, 2008 at 7:05 PM, Bonnie Granat <bgranat -at- granatedit -dot- com>
> wrote:
> 
>>> Why is a word or phrase detestable? Is it because of the
>>> spelling, the sound, or what it seems to define? What then in
>>> that person's opinion does it seem to define, and what does
>>> that person find detestable about that?
>>>
>>
>> That was me, Edwin, and I was not 100% serious. ; )
>>
>> "Knowledge product" does have the same twang (to me) that "business
>> solution" has. It's a term that really doesn't say anything, and the reader
>> has to find out more. Book, online tutorial, instructional video, on the
>> other hand, convey real information. Another one is "information worker,"
>> two words taking up space in the universe and conveying absolutely no
>> meaning.
>>
>>
>> Dear Bonnie,
> 
> I hear what you're saying and concur completely. Since we're using "
> technology goods" in the definition, I assumed that using another similar
> term would help shorten the definition. 

I confess to being not buffalo'd by the term "knowledge product." And 
considering that technical writers are often responsible for 
"synthesizing" information (according to numerous job descriptions I've 
seen) I think it's a little bit disengenuous to claim it doesn't make 
any sense.

But I agree with Bonnie, the 'twanggg' of it has a synthetic quality, 
like something made up by someone not familiar with books etc.

To me, that's the rub with the entire effort to name us (and then define 
us as) 'technical communicator', but down deep, I know there's nothing 
wrong with changing a name or assuming an alias. Heck, married women and 
outlaws do it all the time, right?

--Ned
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